York Spit Light, Navigation lighthouse in Gloucester County, United States.
York Spit Light is a lighthouse standing at the entrance of York River in Chesapeake Bay, built with a hexagonal tower mounted on iron-reinforced wooden pilings. The design allows it to withstand the constant water movement and shifting sand formations that characterize this busy shipping corridor.
The lighthouse was built in 1870 to replace multiple lightships that had previously marked this waterway. Automation arrived in 1960, ending the era of lighthouse keepers stationed at the tower.
The lighthouse keepers maintained maritime safety records and performed rescue operations, including a notable 1916 rescue of nine people from a disabled launch.
The lighthouse can be viewed from the water but is not directly accessible to visitors. Your best vantage point is from a boat traveling through this waterway or from nearby observation points along the shore.
During construction, the builders needed 243 hammer blows per pile to achieve proper stability in the challenging underwater ground. This laborious hand-driven process reveals the extraordinary effort required to anchor a structure in this location.
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